Diesel spill shuts down eastbound lanes on interstate

An overturned 18-wheeler shut down the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 in Orange County Aug. 21 while crews cleaned up the driver's lost load and dangerous diesel fuel that had leaked out of the damaged semi, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Stephanie Davis reports.

Davis stated in a news release, DPS responded to a call reporting a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 in Orange County, near Vidor, at approximately 7 p.m. The crash occurred in the eastbound lanes of the interstate between Highway 90 and FM 1132.

According to DPS, initial reports indicate that a 2011 Volvo truck tractor semi-trailer was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10.

"Due to the driver's inattention, the 18-wheeler struck a concrete barrier," Davis explained. "The impact of the collision caused the trailer to overturn spilling its load onto the roadway. During the crash, the fuel line was damaged and leaked diesel onto the road."

The driver, 48-year-old Ben Weaver of San Benito, was not injured in the crash, but the cleanup resulted in a traffic disruption for interstate travelers that lasted hours. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) spokesperson Sarah Dupre reported the roadway had reopened shortly before 11 p.m., almost four hours after DPS received the report of the accident.

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